Meet Paul Dunbar, the first African American to reach international fame as a writer. The acclaim of his poetry went far beyond U.S. shores, and he would be an inspiration for many writers of the generations after him; including many writers of the Harlem Renaissance period. But living during a difficult time for African Americans, Dunbar would not have an easy life. From the time he was born to his death at only 33 years of age, Dunbar faced many challenges, some of which he would never overcome.